Document oemKEqXgKgxLjebzvr5D8rYvR

FILE NAME Newspaper & Magazine Articles NMA DATE 1970 July DOC NMA169 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Progressive Architecture Article - Hazardous Materials le Hazardous Materials How the design and application of some materials can create serious health hazards is reported by the Chief Specifications Writer of Skidmore Owings& MervillMervill New York Mervill asbestos insulation The New York City Air Resources Commistros in the application of sprayed These new ordinances require sumplate sumplate on FS of sumplate wma LH of thethe the which we work is to be performed b5 means of tarpantina or temporary en- closures ue of approved Bureau of Mines masks warning signs clean- ing up operations after after installation vacuuming of droppings into sealed containers and disposal in approved sanitary fills Awarches of this hazard should prompt wa to examine all of the building materials that are currently employed and especially the man- made products of chemistry in order to learn about their potential danger If we can recognise the probiem carried on under controlled condi- tions Tar products have been known to produce kin irritations and rash- es Some sealants have arrid fumes that may be harmful to people who are sensitive and allergic to these properties It is ential that manu- facturers recognise tanse problems and develop precautionary programs to reduce and minimize these hazards In the minijat minijat minijat minijat 1.1 deer stallation stages ContraContcractorts Coontrractsors and in- stallers should be cautioned and they abould introduce safety measures for the protection of personnel involved in these applications For many years architects and en- gineers have desigual belidings with components that are now being rec ognized as maving a deleterious effect upon the inhabitants For example ducts air shafts and ceiling plenums supply utilized for the movement of or return air are sometimes limed with fiber materials such as asbestos mineral with a Gurglass Theme materials are used for either fre sistive properties in the pic areas or for sound isolation or thermal insulation in ducts and air shafts They are constantly being eroded by air movement and the par- ticles are carried into the air sop- plied in the habitable areas Studies being conducted by some media authorities indicate possible con- tamination of the air supply that may cause irritation at the least and serious bealth hazards at the worst Details of designs should be reexamined to place these materials externally if possible out of the air stream or by coating and seating these surfaces when there is no other solution Some municipal bodies are studying these problems and are con- sidering ordinances which may pre clude the use of such materials when they are exposed in air handling designs A recent New York City ordi- nance requires the sealing or conting of these fibrous materials in ceiling plenum areas Some materials such as urethane foams have been know to give off moxious gases when exposed to fire and are presumed to have lethal effects upon individuals exposed to there fumes The new New York City Building Code enacted in 1966 con- usein tains a provision against the use - mini mini u . nisi nisi usein usein of Saree uyub incineration that are more toxic than those produced by the burning of word or paper While no standard test method has been prom rated to evaluate the degree of toxicity of burning wood or paper as compared to other materiais que must begin to take cognizance of these materials as possible health hazards when subjected to fire is well known fact that more fatalities occur from smoke and gas inhalation inhalation than from fire itself in the dis- astrous Boston Coconut Grove fire the wave only only iowee, UK JEI ABEND -> from the effects of smoke and fumes developed by the burning of coated decorations than from fames produced by the fire building Many plastics used in constructive should be tested fo smoke development and fuel contri bution as well as flame spread char- the event of fire the effects of smoke will be a contributory cause for fatal- ities In addition a meaningfu stan- dard test procedure should be devil- devil- oped to measure the toxicity resulting from the burning of materials to ascertain the level at which certain of these materials might be consid- ared detrimental to the health and safety of the inhabitants -- +1